Created between 1750 and 1754 by the astronomer Nicolas Louis de La Caille. The constellation is composed of stars found between one of the bends of the constellation of Eridanus, the river. It contains only faint stars and is most easily seen from the Southern Hemisphere. The original name of the constellation was Fornax Chemica, the chemical furnace. Adjacent to Fornax is the now defunct constellation of Machina Electrica, the electricity generator.